How I enjoyed an active vacation in New York and the East Coast

This year I decided to take a vacation to New York City for three days with my girlfriend Stephanie. We shared quality time together in a stellar international city. This was a special trip as it was my
surprise Christmas gift and it would be my first time visiting NYC. In addition, we decided to add six days to our holiday to visit the East coast of Canada with Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. This was an opportunity to relax after the more busy period in NYC. I also was very excited to visit my brother Paul, my sister in law, and my three nephews who live in En field, NS.

I have realized after many years of not taking time for holidays that they are truly an important part of getting away from the routine and re-invigorating myself. There are experiences that travel brings that make me feel alive. It is further a great idea to re-connect with my girlfriend Stephanie with some quality time together. We both enjoy travel, food and experiencing new cultures and new people. With travel comes excitement and the anticipation of something fun and new.

I knew that New York would be very busy because we wanted to explore and see as much as we could in the limited time of three days. We walked everywhere! My feet were so sore from all the mileage, but it was totally worth it. We were able to see so many beautiful places because we walked. We stayed in Union Square area and visited Wall St, Broadway, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty and so many landmarks, my eyes were getting sore. I was thankful I could walk and get around this city by these means. The best part of walking is the freedom that comes from picking up and just going somewhere, it could be anywhere. For us, walking around NYC allowed us to explore different neighborhoods and hidden gems we would have otherwise never stumbled upon. Walking is also such an effective form of exercise. We definitely needed exercise with all the good food we were having… the New York pizza, the Union Square farmers market, and a fine assortment of food from the Food festivals to the street vendors. Let me tell you I had my fill.

It can be easy to be very passive when we are on vacation, relax and not enjoy all the opportunities for activities that travel and vacation can bring to us. Sure it is great to relax and kick our feet up, and take in some time under the sun with a book, or just dose off for a quick nap. We all have ways that best recharge us and it’s important to recognize that our mind and body crave different things at different times. But if you want to stay active during your vacation, there are probably many opportunities to do so.

I typically don’t go to gyms, I prefer being outdoors- the air and the great outdoors provide a good feeling that energizes me.

The second part of our vacation allowed for a greater variety of activities.

One day, we used the bikes that were available at our B and B in PEI to explore the area. It was a great way to get around and we saw some incredible views along our ride. Biking is a fun activity to do as a couple. We did it at a leisurely pace, which made it a long steady form of cardiovascular fitness for the day. We were sure to keep hydrated and packed a lunch for a few stops at sites which had some magnificent clear blue water views. We also stopped along the way for some delicious fresh seafood (of course!).

Our B and B also had kayaks. This was a great opportunity to try something that we don’t usually get to do and get a nice upper body workout at the same time. Last but not least, we had ourselves a good workout with some beach swimming in some cold waters. The weather was very warm but the Atlantic waters had some other ideas.

From all the activity and some sitting from driving and biking, my back was unfortunately acting up a bit. I used my time at the beach to do some planks, side planks, and hip bridges which I find help my lower back feel much better.

Other opportunities to exercise were present while I was visiting my brother in Nova Scotia. I was without exercise for a few days and I started to feel a little anxious so I took a run and did a small workout at my nephew’s local elementary school park. It had bars, posts, sand and enough fun for a big kid like myself to do some pullups, pushups, planks, dips, squats and lunges. It wasn’t long or complicated, but I just made it a priority with Stephanie to get a quick workout in the morning while others were sleeping. It was also great to go in the morning before it got too hot. After the workout, I felt more refreshed and ready to enjoy the day with my family.

I know you may be saying to yourself, this takes too much work or effort and it was vacation for crying out loud- you are obsessed and you can do this when you get back from your trip. The point being, is we all have a choice to feel at our best. It just happens to be that I feel better when I exercise. I make it a high priority in my life and without it I would be lost, that means that even on vacation, I feel it is important to take the time to be active. If you feel better with exercise, find the best possible way to get a small dose of it in your life- whether that is on vacation or not.

Sadly our vacation time is over for this year. Summer is not over though and we still have lots of fun weekend plans ahead. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer and I hope you feel inspired to get active during your vacation.

If you would like more information on training and a program that would be right for you, please contact me:
peter@fasttrackfit.ca
www.fasttrackfit.ca.
613-262-4471
I would be happy to answer any of your questions.

About Me

I operate Fast Track Fitness at Prime Personal Training, a private studio located at 429 St Laurent Blvd in Ottawa, Canada. My mission is to empower people to achieve a healthier mind and body through fun exercise, delicious meals, and a positive mindset. I will keep you on track with a variety of custom programs and ongoing support. I offer health programs that focus on weight/fat loss, and injury/disease prevention and rehabilitation. I have coached hundreds of clients to stellar results over the last 15 years and look forward to celebrating your success story.